Archive for the 'materials' Category

Back in March 2007, soon after starting Designverb, I was selected as 1 in 100 artist worldwide to create a design for the Converse JoinRed initiative to bring AIDS awareness and to raise money for the cause. Above is the one of the final designs I submitted which was stitched by hand and went through quite a design process even though I later submitted a re-worked design because of trademarks issues in my first design. Though I am not a shoe designer, I approached this project as any of my other projects diving into research, discovery, meaning, definition, creation, and refinement.

If your interested, read after the jump to see the design process, thinking, and some other design concepts I thought up but did not continue with in this short 2 week project.

“These images are from a set of 1,075 photographs — shot over five days last year for the book and exhibition, ‘‘Contraband’’ — of items detained or seized from passengers or express mail entering the United States from abroad at the New York airport. The miscellany of prohibited objects — from the everyday to the illegal to the just plain odd — attests to a growing worldwide traffic in counterfeit goods and natural exotica and offers a snapshot of the United States as seen through its illicit material needs and desires. ”

What a great installation in Tokyo! Wish I were there to experience it…as if I were inside a big snow globe!

“‘sensing nature‘, an exhibition which rethinks the japanese perception of nature, has just opened at the mori art museum, tokyo with interpretations of the subject made by takashi kuribayashi, taro shinoda and tokujin yoshioka. the three japanese artists / designers give abstract or symbolic expression to immaterial or amorphous concepts as well as natural phenomenon such as snow, water, wind, light, stars, mountains, waterfalls and forests. their ideas of nature suggest that it is not something that is to be contrasted with the human world, but that it is something that incorporates all life-forms, including human beings. the exhibition consists of newly commissioned works by each of the three artists, each attempting to stimulate our sense of nature through large-scale installations.

Following an old but still fun trend in pixelating products in our world is turning digital icons into products. This is probably one of my favorites but I really can’t wait until our entire physical world is represented by 2d objects… graphics and products at their best… at least visually.
(pics mirrored after jump)

I’ve been incredibly busy helping organize the TEDxCambridge event occurring May 16th at the MIT Stata Center. The theme “How do you eat” is based off of this year TED prize winner Jamie Oliver in regards to Food and education. If you are in Boston May 16th, apply to get an invite and let me know. We can only invite 300 attendees and registration will close soon. You can learn more on tedxcambridge.com

Also, if you are in a position to sponsor any food, funding, or gifts for the event, please contact me asap. (now! =) ).
We will have 2 break sessions followed by an evening event in eating, drinking, and idea sharing!

I’ve mentioned 1 sheet cardboard furniture studies as one of the RISD freshmen foundation projects, but one other great project was making furniture with lots of cardboard. I do not have any pictures from my time there, but Lazerian Studio has a great example with similar results. Oh the memories!

Designed by thomas heatherwick studio the 20 meter high cube like structure is pierced by 60,000 slim and transparent acrylic rods. the centerpiece of the pavilion is the seed cathedral, where visitors will be able to explore a variety of seeds of different plants featured on the end of each rod.”